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Dark Elves
Dark Elves Dark elves were originally created by the gods of light during the War of the Gods and were of one race with those that came to be distinguished as light elves. However, the ancestors of the dark elves were seduced by Falaris and sold their souls to him. At the war's end, the dark elves chose to settle on the cursed island of Marmo, onto which Kardis' soul had fallen. The island was home to a great forest, and an ancient tree, though Kardis' presence had corrupted the tree and the land. Most Dark Elves, those on Marmo particularly, call themselves the Children of Falaris for they fought for the God of Darkness. Many Marmo dark elves can truly be called evil, and some are made even worse by the malevolent influence of Kardis, yet many dark elves are perfectly normal. The dark elven culture breeds a sense of superiority into it's people, making the dark elves, for the most part, arrogant and smugly superior. However, dark elves are still fae and have a respect for nature, though many of their values vary vastly from light elves. Whereas light elves are vegetarians, dark elves will eat meat when killing animals is good for the population, taking a lesson from predatory beasts. They believe that they have a right to subjugate lesser races and spirits, bending them to their whim and forcing them to do their bidding. The dark elves tame ogres, goblins, and kobolds to use them as they see fit, though also to protect themselves. While high elves rarely reproduce, and common elves tend to limit themselves to one child, dark elves may have more children and higher libidos. Dark elven families may bear two or three children, perhaps even more, though they still are not as fertile as humans, being limited by the elven reproductive cycle¹. Due to the harsh environment of Marmo, and the potentially deadly coming of age rite preformed at age fifty², not all dark elven children live to see adulthood. As a note, there is a curse upon dark elven twins; any pair of twins born to a dark elven mother will share only one soul. This half life usually kills the twins before their first birthday³. For centuries, the dark elves have held themselves aloof from the humans of Marmo, only interacting with the barbarian tribes when necessary, and kidnapping humans to be fed to their ogres. However, when Beld sought their aid in his goals of conquering Lodoss, Lusev, the dark elven leader, was swayed by the future emperor and agreed to ally themselves with him. The dark elves would join Beld's army and help his invasion of Lodoss. Joining the military was optional to the elves, but many agreed, mostly to get the chance to fight light elves. The dark elves that remained were either not fighters, or felt that it was beneath them to fight alongside humans. When Ashram led his people on an exodus to a new land, some dark elves left with them. At the end of the final Marmo war, Kardis was sealed by Marfa. The dark goddess's evil influence was washed away and Marmo was reborn under Marfa's power. It had a powerful effect on dark elven culture, and the entire race is in a process of transformation. For now, there is a shaky truce between the dark elves and the new settlers from Flaim. It basically says “if you don't bother us, we won't bother you.” 'Physical Features' When the original dark elves sold their souls to Falaris, their appearance was changed. Instead of the fair skin they once had, their skin became a dusky shade of brown. Their hair paled to silver and white for contrast, and their blue or green eyes changed to red or gold. While these traits remain the most common and dominant, many features from their light elven past began to appear in succeeding generations. Blue and green eye colors returned, as did blond shades of hair. The average shade of skin is a dusky brown, but more variety in color began to appear in later generations. Most dark elves, especially women, are just as beautiful as their light elven cousins (some might argue more beautiful). However, many males are not only mentally twisted by Kardis' presence, but physically as well, leading to dark elves with more extreme and unappealing features. While many elves cannot grow much facial hair, dark elven men can grow mustaches, though not a full beard. Female dark elves are considerably more curvaceous than their light cousins, though they are still slim and lean. They tend to have fuller hips and breasts, perhaps a physical manifestation of lust due to their connection with an evil god. 'Magic' Like light elves, dark elves are natural shamans. However, their view of shamanism is slightly different, and they readily use spirits that light elves won't use (though Valkyrie, the light elemental, is disinclined to answer the summons of an evil shaman). Dark elves view spirits as their subordinates, which works well in the case of dark spirits, but not many spirits are willing to be used so thanklessly. Dark elves have been known to capture spirits to use later, which is something light elves find abhorrent. At the age of fifty, dark elven youths go through a coming of age ritual that entails summoning a dark spirit². They must have strength of will power, and a well of negative emotions can be helpful as well. They summon a dark spirit and control it enough to drain the energy of a target. The target is commonly a volunteer—often a more powerful shaman—but in the past, humans were often used. To pass this test, the young shaman must control the spirit long enough to drain a certain amount of energy from their target, then release the spirit. Dark spirits will turn on a shaman who doesn't have the will power to control them. It's usually not fatal, but in the worst case, it can leave the summoner in a coma for a few days or weeks if they fail. Besides shamanism, many dark elves have chosen to become priests of Falaris in the past. Dark elves tend to prefer Falaris to Kardis, and even if they wanted to, at present time, they wouldn't be allowed to join any other priesthood, except perhaps the Cha Za temple in Raiden. Dark Elf Settlements Dark Forest, Marmo The Dark Forest is where dark elves originally settled at the end of the War of the Gods. The clan lives in a large village in the heart of the Dark Forest, around the twisted ancient tree. This is the dark elven homeland. Kanon Forests The forests of Kanon were once home to a common elf clan, but when the Marmo invaded, the dark elves exterminated and drove out the common elves to take the forest for themselves. When the forests were cleared, the dark elves began claiming these forests as their new home away from home. After the Marmo withdrew from Kanon, most of the dark elves followed, but those that remained were mostly driven out by returning common elves and the Kanon Free Army. A few may still be lurking in the forest, but it is predominantly common elf land again. Blue Dragon Island's Fairy Woods Several generations ago, a group of dark elves abandoned their evil roots and decided to leave Marmo. They traveled to Lodoss to find a new home, and finally found a small, secluded forest on Blue Dragon Island, just north of Raiden. The island was also home to a clan of centaurs, and Abram, the ancient dragon for whom the island was named. This dark elven clan rarely associates with humans and prefer to live peacefully. Raiden and Raiden Woods Over the centuries, many dark elves have been dissatisfied with their lives on Marmo. They want a peaceful existence, without the influence of Kardis and Falaris. So, they left Marmo to find a new home. They found suffering all across Lodoss, until they came to the City of Anarchy, Raiden. Raiden has always been the best place for outcasts to find a home, but it was in a forest outside of Raiden that these outcast dark elves found a new home. After several hundred years, a new clan has formed in this forest. Aside from dark elven outcasts, many half-dark elves and dark elf/human couples have found homes here. The credo of this village is acceptance. No matter what race a person is, they can find a peaceful home in this forest, so long as they accept the same values. While this community in the forest is the best place for dark elves in the region, there some dark elves to be found living in the city as well. Race Relations Suffice it to say, the inherent arrogance of dark elves poisons all their relations. Dark elves feel they are better than all other races. *'Dark Elves to Common and High Elves' Dark and light elves have a long history together, and for the most part, do not get along. Besides the conflict of darkness and light, dark elves feel they are superior in one way or another to their fairer cousins. In recent years, dark elves with Marmo army exterminated the common elf population of the Kanon forests, which hasn't been helpful in relations, but since the war's end and Marmo's cleansing, some dark elves have sought to reconcile the past. *'Dark Elves to Humans' Again, the dark elven superiority complex comes into play here. Many dark elves, at least in centuries past, have believed humans to be little better than goblins, or animals. It was tradition to hunt humans, and capture a few to be fed to ogres to gain the loyalty of the monsters, though in recent years, they have been unable to observe this tradition easily. While dark elves feel superior to humans, they are impressed by unique individuals who possess the charisma to lead them; such Beld and Ashram. *'Dark Elves to Half-Elves' Half-common elves may get the same treatment as either of their parent races from dark elves, and half-dark elves aren't treated much better. Many half-dark elves are the product of rape upon their human mother, but a few are actually born of lustful or even loving relationships between a human and dark elf. However, half-dark elves are not very easily accepted into dark elf society. Many half-dark elves and interracial couples find peace in a settlement outside of Raiden. *'Dark Elves to Dwarves' Since Marmo has no native dwarves, and very few visiting dwarves, dark elves have never interacted much with them. Being creatures of darkness themselves, they don't have the disdain for those born of the earth elementals. However, they do have that pesky superiority complex. *'Dark Elves to Grassrunners and Centaurs' There is little interaction between dark elves and grassrunners and centaurs, though dark elves will regard them much in the way they do light elves. Category:Basic lodoss Category:Races Category:Elves